There are numerous animal deterring devices known in the art, and many of those use electric current to deter, and in some case even kill birds and other relatively small animals. For example, where a relatively large structure is to be protected, a blanket can be configured to include a plurality of vertically arranged and spaced apart electrodes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,748. While such devices may protect a relatively large area, numerous disadvantages remain. Among other things, pooling of water must be avoided at all times to allow for continuous operation. Moreover, as such devices are typically flexible, inadvertent short circuiting may occur by folding or bending a portion of the blanket.
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Other known electrified devices include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,176 and European Patent No. 1314355 in which a string-shaped carrier includes conductive traces embedded or attached to the carrier. Similarly, string-shaped structures may be formed from braided wire that further includes insulator disks as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,353. While such devices are generally simple to manufacture and operate, various difficulties remain. Among other problems, such devices often fail to operate properly when moisture or rain runs along the wire, or where droppings are deposited on the wire. Similar disadvantages are observed in devices that have a rail with partially embedded conductive traces from which raised conductive tabs protrude as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,698, or in devices having a rail with two elevated conductive traces as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0132635. Such devices are particularly sensitive to puddling or fecal contamination.
In still further known electrified deterring devices, conductive traces are mounted to an elevated carrier portion that includes spaces to allow for drainage and flexible installation as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,283,064 and 6,928,768. While such devices are often more reliable than known devices when exposed to moisture or droppings, other disadvantages arise. For example, due to the raised position of the wires, installation is frequently esthetically less pleasing than relatively flat rail-type structures. Moreover, positioning of the wires is at a fixed distance and in a manner that will allow at least some birds to perch in a position in which the bird will not receive the electrical impulse or current.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,021 discusses that the conductors can be sewn to the base to facilitate bending of the conductor and base. However, this is problematic because the stitches disposed on the bottom surface of the base can come into contact with water, which can seep up the thread and cause the conductors to short. While this problem can be eliminated by disposing the stitches in glue troughs that are filled with adhesive, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,015,747 and 8,020,340, there may be situations where glue troughs are not desirable.
Thus, while there are numerous devices and methods for deterring animals, and especially birds are known in the art, all or almost all of them suffer from various disadvantages. Thus, there is still a need for new configurations and methods for bird deterrents.